Overseas Travel Irish Adventure Part II

 North to Derry, the Antrim Coast, green fields north of Belfast

We almost got blown off the cliff admiring Dunluce Castle

Swans in Celtic culture represent the transformation love requires,

their enchanting flight & song illustrate the beauty of embracing change.⁣

The Giant's Causeway is an unforgettable landscape formed by volcanic eruptions dating back millions of years. 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns line the coast, forming natural stairs leading from igneous rock cliffs into the sea. It was cold!!

This peaceful landscape, is diverse including glacial valleys, grassy cliffs, dense woods and quaint villages.

Derry, also known as Londonderry, is divided by the River Foyle, which runs through the city's heart, and the only one in Ireland whose walls are fully intact. We took a guided walk along the walls: inside lived the Unionists (British), outside is Bogside, the poor Irish Catholics, not allowed to speak Irish, with few homes or schools or the right to practice Catholicism; the Earls fled, the poor pushed off their lands by large Plantation landowners sent over from Scotland and England by King James II, starting in 1607 (only those loyal to the British crown) 2,000,000 Irish left during the potato famines with the promise of free land in the US, Canada, Australia. another 2,000,000 died. By 1718, only the Anglicans had power, Scots were second class.

The old Guild Hall, now a history museum; inside the hall

The Museum of Free Derry in Bogside documents the history and events surrounding the especially turbulent period between 1968-72, between Unionists (loyal to Britain) and Nationalists (mostly Irish Catholics, but wanting a united, free, equal rights Ireland. Murals depict heroes and victims.

Senator George Mitchell of Maine (and Pres. Clinton) helped negotiate the peace treaty to nominally at least end the Troubles in 1998.

Derry's Peace Bridge, opened in 2011, is curved, denoting the idea that peace is never a straight line. We stayed by the Ferris wheel (carnival for Halloween which originated in Derry) across the pedestrian bridge.

Halloween decorations everywhere. Pagan+ Christian. Spirits can return to the world. Costumes used to scare away the bad spirits.

The Derry Girls is a popular show
We left Derry, stopping at the Monreagh Heritage Center to watch initial flax preparation (linen is now very costly)

and to learn more about the Ulster Scots (plantation owners) who settled in the 4 provinces/ 9 counties in Ulster, 26 counties in the

Republic of Ireland.

We saw lists of names and visited the first Presbyterian Church.

The Grianan of Aileach (= rocky place) stone fort, built in late 8th, early 9th century AD by kings of this part of Ulster, plundered by Vikings, destroyed in 1101 AD.

Peat bogs under the dying heather. Rainy but still beautiful!

There are sheep everywhere! Those with black faces have tough wool and are used for meat and usually stay out all year long. Those with white faces and alpaca are used for clothing, blankets, etc.We crossed into the Republic of Ireland and arrived in Donegal October 28.

We loved our visit with Cyndi Graham at her cottage workshop where she showed us her hand operated loom and how she and several generations of her family have been making magic!

I bought the gorgeous red wall-hanging, others bought other items

She has horses and gorgeous views of the Dunkeely village on St. John's Point (rustic peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean)

In 1909, the Gaelic Athletic Association was created. A popular sport called hurling (a little like lacrosse), played with a special stick, smallish ball, no helmets or pads, limited contact, involves limitedbouncing using hands and body;

goals scored by kicking through goal posts. (look it up, too hard to explain). We went out on the field and tried it out. Clubs are organized by parish with no transfer between. Soccer also very popular of course.

We had a delicious lunch at the club afterward, and on to Donegal

Donegal is a lovely town. Our hotel was a 10 minute walk.

We visited the 17th century castle owned by O'Donnells

(that is when the Plantations were begun and the poor lost their lands)

The Choktaw Indians were very sympathetic to the Irish, donated some money to them during the 1840 potato famine and developed strong bonds. This artist still lives in Ireland.

We enjoyed a tour of the tweed hat factory, and then many of us shopped in town! That evening we watched some great Irish dancing (clog and soft shoe).

In Connemara we explored the 3500 BC court tombs, with Cairns from different time periods

I really enjoyed the excellent exhibits at the National Museum of Irish Life at Turlock House, a beautiful estate near Castlebar on the westernmost coast, which focuses specifically on the period from 1850-1950. I loved learning about the celebration of important holidays

Women typically wore red wool skirts dyed with hawthorn berries

And the following day would be Halloween, celebrated by all!